Strong Republic Nautical Highway

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH), opened under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Administration since April 12, 2003, is an integrated set of roads and ports that connects the three primary regions of the Philippines, which are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.[1] The nautical highway offers an efficient and short way to travel to Visayas and Mindanao through the western seaboard. The route provides businessmen an alternative way to transport their cargoes from different parts of the Philippines.

For tourists and travelers, SRNH allows them to hop from one island to another and enjoy the scenery of the country in the comfort of their cars.

The 919 Kilometer SRNH is composed of three major routes. First is the Western Nautical Highway linking Manila and Dipolog connecting to the Central Nautical Highway in Cebu City. The Central Nautical Highway then links Pilar, Sorsogon and Balingoan. The last of the three major routes is the Eastern Nautical Highway, which is a link between the province of Biliran and Surigao City, connected to the Central Nautical Highway via Cataingan.Its route covers the provinces and cities of Oriental Mindoro, Tagaytay City (Cavite), Marinduque, Romblon, and Batangas City in Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras, and Siquijor, in the Visayas; and Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Dapitan City in Mindanao.

At least two bus companies, Bachelor Express and Philtranco, operate multiple daily bus trips over the SRNH between Manila bus terminals sited in Cubao and Pasay and Iloilo City, with connections available in Iloilo for onwards transportation. The SRNH segment between Manila and Iloilo runs by road to Batangas City, by ferry to Calapan, by road to Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, by ferry to Caticlan (gateway to Boracay, located in Malay, Aklan) and onwards by road to Iloilo City. Private van transport is generally available for hire over individual SRNH road segments, and the ferry segments accept walk-aboard passengers as well as vehicles.

You can now bring your car to BORACAY, ILOILO, or even down to DAKAK, through the Strong Republic Nautical Highway starting Saturday, April 12, 2003, and with no hassle at all. Just queue for payment of Terminal Fee, and then you're off to your vacation.

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) offers an efficient and shorter way to travel to the Visayas and Mindanao regions plying the western seaboard. The route allows you to hop from one island to another and enjoy the scenery in the comfort of your car.

From Manila, drive to Batangas port, board the RO-RO TO Calapan City. From Calapan you drive south to Roxas where you catch the daily RO-RO trip to Caticlan. RORO vessel leaves Roxas Oriental Mindoro 8:30 am and will dock Caticlan port at around 1:00 p.m. The same RORO boat leaves Caticlan 3:00 p.m. for Roxas.

Iloilo via Ivisan town is about 4-hour drive from Caticlan. One may drop by Roxas City (about 10 minute drive from Ivisan) to buy some fresh seafoods. Roxas City is the seafood capital of the Philippines. When in Iloilo, one can drop by Guimaras Island to have a taste of Philippine's finest mangos before going further south to Bacolod (City of Smiles), then to Dumaguete then finally board the RORO to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

The Pan Philippine highway runs through southern Luzon, the Bicol region, the provinces of Samar and Leyte and connects to eastern Mindanao in Surigao del Norte province.

You don't want to bring your car? Then ride your way down south instead. Bachelor Express has nightly trips to Caticlan/Iloilo (11:00 pm starting April 11, 2003). Their ticket station and passenger terminal is at Ali Mall in Cubao.

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) in the Philippines is an integrated set of highway segments and vehicular ferry routes which, considered in combination with other road and ferry routes not formally part of the SRNH, forms the backbone of a nationwide vehicle-accessible transport system. This system reduces the usual travel time by 17 hours to the different key cities, enhances the accessibility of the prime tourist destinations, and minizes the handling expenses of goods, all over the country.

A very special travel adventure in the Philippines is the western route of the SRNH from Quezon City to Zamboanga in southern Mindanao. You can do the 1280 km in less than 48 hours and without leaving your seat.

The coach leaves Cubao in Quezon City at 09:00 AM and reaches Batangas at 12:00 noon. Here starts the first ferry trip to Mindoro.

Your bus arrives at 03:30 PM in Calapan on Mindoro Island. The following land trip shows you the beauty of Mindoro and brings you to Roxas on Mindoro Oriental. You arrive in Roxas at 08:30 PM.

The next ferry section ships during the night to Caticlan, Aklan in the north of Panay where you arrive at 01:00 AM.

The north - south trip on Panay Island passes at 03:00 AM by Kalibo and arrives around 07:00 AM in Iloilo on the southern tip of Panay Island.

From Iloilo you ship to Bacolod on Negros Oriental where you arrive at 10:00 AM. This is just a bit more than 24 hours for the first 652km.

Your coach now crosses over Negros Island from Bacolod to Dumaguete. You arrive in Dumaguete around 04:00 PM. You leave Dumaguete by the last ferry of your trip and arrive at 09:00 PM in Dapitan on Mindanao Island. A short 30 minutes trip brings you to Dipolog, where the bus arrives at 09:30 PM.

The last section overland from Dipolog to Zamboanga is the longest one and reaches your destination after 8:30 at 05:00 AM.

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Strong Republic Nautical Highway (Expanded)
Venue Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines
Description: The SRNH has been expanded into the Western Nautical Highway which has 11 RORO-capable ports with shipping companies regularly plying the route; the Central Nautical Highway having 11 out of 14 ports RORO-capable (Placer, Aroroy and Donsol) with 4 out of 7 routes serviced regularly by shipping companies plying the routes (Mambajao-Jagna, Bogo-Placer and Aroroy-Donsol); and, the Eastern Nautical Highway which has 2 out of 4 ports RORO-capable (Naval and Cataingan) and 1 out of 2 routes serviced regularly by shipping companies plying the route (Cataingan-Naval, Biliran). It covers a total of 919 kilometers of land travel and 137 nautical miles of sea travel interconnecting 17 provinces and cities of Oriental Mindoro, Tagaytay/Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon and Batangas in Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Oriental. Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras and Siquijor in the Visayas; and Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Dapitan City in Mindanao. From Manila, drive to Batangas port, board the RORO to Calapan City. From Calapan, drive south of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and catch the daily RORO trip to Caticlan.Iloilo via Capiz town is about 5-hours drive from Caticlan. In Iloilo you can go to Guimaras Islands and have a taste of the country's finest mangoes before going further south to Bacolod City then to Dumaguete and finally reaching Zamboanga del Norte aboard the RORO. Travel at your leisure, enjoy the rare experience and hop from one exciting destination to another at very affordable prices. Contact information: Montenegro Shipping Lines Tel. No. (63 43) 723-8294/6980/722-1873 or (63 43) 723-1701/0164 (Phil Ports Authority) or (63 43) 723-8242 (Cargo Handling)